Description
Ezetimibe has been reported to be a cholesterol transport inhibitor. Mechanistic studies show that this compound directly affects Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) and prevents it from incorporating into clathrin-coated vesicles. NPC1L1 is a polytopic transmembrane protein that facilitates absorption of cholesterol via clathrin/AP2-mediated endocytosis. By binding to NPC1L1, ezetimibe prevents endocytosis of this protein therefore blocking cholesterol transfer across membranes. Ezetimibe is used clinically to lower plasma cholesterol levels.A cholesterol transport inhibitor that binds to NPC1L1